Stravinsky: Pulcinella Suite; Falla: El retablo de maese Pedro; Harpsichord Concerto

by Pablo Heras-Casado, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Benjamin Alard, Airam Hernandez

Overview

Stravinsky's Pulcinella, first performed in 1920, was something of a founding document for the neoclassic movement, which ruled the roost for two decades and has had repercussions lasting down to the present day. There are lots of recordings of the sprightly suite Stravinsky extracted from the ballet, but the other two works on the album, by Manuel de Falla, are less familiar and offer wonderful insights into how neoclassicism developed. Falla's little puppet opera El Retablo de Maese Pedro ("Mr. Peter's Puppet Show"), based on an episode in Cervantes' Don Quixote, doesn't really work as an opera, with most of its vocal writing for a boy soprano, and that boy soprano faces real challenges (cleanly surmounted here by Héctor López de Ayala Uribe). However, it is a delightful, colorful work with tremendous energy. Falla's Harpsichord Concerto, composed for Wanda Landowska, is played from time to time, but the early music movement hasn't particularly boosted its fortunes. Both works are given crackling performances here by the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and conductor Pablo Heras-Casado; the harpsichordist in the two works is Benjamin Alard. They make a fascinating contrast with the Stravinsky. Both composers drew on the past; Falla did not abandon the Spanish sources of his music but incorporated them into Classical structures, while Pulcinella is a kind of pastiche on themes by a composer then thought to be Pergolesi. Yet the flavors are completely different. Any listener, including those who are just getting into the neoclassic era, will enjoy this album, which was superbly recorded by Harmonia Mundi at the Auditorium of Girona in Catalonia. ~ James Manheim

Product Details

Release Date:	02/23/2024
Label:	Harmonia Mundi
UPC:	3149020948712
Rank:	38246

Tracks

1. El retablo de maese Pedro (Master Peter's Puppet Show)~I. El pregón (The Announcement)
2. El retablo de maese Pedro (Master Peter's Puppet Show)~II. La sinfonía de maese Pedro (Master Peter's Symphony)
3. El retablo de maese Pedro (Master Peter's Puppet Show)~III. La corte de Carlomagno (Charlemagne's Court)
4. El retablo de maese Pedro (Master Peter's Puppet Show)~IV. La entrada de Carlomagno (Charlemagne's Entrance)
5. El retablo de maese Pedro (Master Peter's Puppet Show)~V. Melisendra (Melisendra)
6. El retablo de maese Pedro (Master Peter's Puppet Show)~VI. El suplicio del Moro (The Moor's Punishment)
7. El retablo de maese Pedro (Master Peter's Puppet Show)~VII. Los Pirineos (The Pyrenees)
8. El retablo de maese Pedro (Master Peter's Puppet Show)~VIII. La fuga (The Escape)
9. El retablo de maese Pedro (Master Peter's Puppet Show)~IX. La persecución (The Pursuit)
10. El retablo de maese Pedro (Master Peter's Puppet Show)~X. Final
11. Harpsichord Concerto~I. Allegro
12. Harpsichord Concerto~II. Lento (giubiloso e energico)
13. Harpsichord Concerto~III. Vivace (flessibile, scherzando)
14. Pulcinella Suite~I. Sinfonia. Allegro moderato
15. Pulcinella Suite~II. Serenata. Larghetto
16. Pulcinella Suite~III. Scherzino - Allegro - Andantino
17. Pulcinella Suite~IV. Tarantella
18. Pulcinella Suite~V. Toccata. Allegro
19. Pulcinella Suite~VI. Gavotta (con due variazioni). Allegro moderato - Allegretto - Allegro più tosto moderato
20. Pulcinella Suite~VII. Vivo
21. Pulcinella Suite~VIII. Minuetto. Molto moderato
22. Pulcinella Suite~IX. Finale. Allegro assai

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Pablo Heras-Casado   Primary Artist,Conductor
Benjamin Alard   Primary Artist,Harpsichord
Mahler Chamber Orchestra   Primary Artist,Orchestra
Airam Hernandez   Primary Artist,Tenor (Vocal)
Jose Antonio Lopez   Bass Baritone

Technical Credits

Caitlin Bellah   Photography
Pablo Lopez De Ayala   Photography
Igor Stravinsky   Composer
Manuel de Falla   Composer
Charles Johnston   Liner Note Translation
Georges Jean-Aubry   Text Translation
Dario Acosta   Photography
Heide Biermann   Text Translation
Alban Moraud   Editing
Yvan Nommick   Liner Notes,Song Text Editor
Benjamin Alard   Liner Notes
Jose Albornoz-Perfil   Photography
Irene Weber-Froboese   Liner Note Translation
Alexandra Evrard   Editing,Mastering,Artistic Director
Vincent Mons   Engineer
Javier Salas   Photography